Tea and Tears with Toph Beifong
by Phamtom
Summary: Set after then promise when the original team avatar have grown up and are now living in Republic City. Katara is afraid Toph might be dealing with some inner pain. Toph denies it of course, she has never been one to ask for help but sometimes you just don't have to ask.


**DISCLAIMER:** As a fan of the Avatar Universe I make no claim to have any ownership or legal rights to the characters or settings described in this story. This was written purely for my own amusement as a fan of the work and seek to gain from this story either commercially or professionally.

Katara stood in the hall way, starring at the door. She had been standing there for almost a minute in silent stillness. Every time she had been to visit Toph she never knocked, she did not need to. Toph could feel Katara outside the door and usually would invite her in before Katarra had a chance to knock. Now Katara was wondering if Toph was even home. Katara reached out her hand and her knuckles had barely touched the wooden door when she heard a click and the door swung open.

"Hello, Katara" Toph said. She was dressed in a pair of short pants and a loose-fitting shirt, what her and the other metal benders usually wore under their armor. Hers were not dirty but they were rumpled as if she had slept in them.

"Hello Toph" Katara said.

Toph stepped aside and invited Katara inside the apartment. "I was just about to have some tea" Toph said. "Want some?"

"Yes, thank you" Katara sat down at the table in the middle of the room. Toph's apartment was not exactly huge but it wasn't cramped either. The kitchen was just to the right of the entrance and was separated from the sitting room by a counter. Opposite from the kitchen was the door to the bedroom.

"So, what brings you here?" Toph asked carrying the tea tray a crossed the room and sitting it on the table. She poured herself and Katara a cup.

"I felt like I needed some fresh air so I thought I would say hello" Katara said.

"Sugar?" Toph asked.

"No, thank you" Katara said.

"Suit yourself" Toph scooped up and poured a small spoonful into her cup and stirred it. She lifted it to lips, blew the steam off of it and took a small sip.

Watching her it was so easy to forget that she was blind. She was able to perform simple tasks with such ease and flawlessness that one probably would not suspect she could not see anything. Aside from her colorless eyes the only clue was that she did not tilt her head up or down to follow her hands.

"I guess it is a nice day for it" Toph said. "How is Twinkle Toes?"

"Aang could not be happier"

"Third child's a charm, eh?"

"Oh, you haven't heard?"

"Heard what?"

"We tested Tenzin last week, he's an airbender"

"Really?"

"Yeah, I think Aang was kind of overwhelmed when he found out. He is a good father but I think he was a little disappointed that Bumi was not an airbender"

"I hope he won't jealous of his little brother"

"I doubt it. Besides, he wants his uncle to teach him sword fighting. You should have seen the look on Sokka's face when he asked him"

"What about Kya, have you started teaching her yet?"

"Just the motions right now. If she is like I was she will grow into water bending" Katara took a deep sip of her tea and smiled to herself. "Oh, Toph. I can't tell you what a joy its been with me and Kya. When I teach her about water bending and the southern water tribe it's…well it's hard to explain"

"I bet it is" Toph half whispered.

"Toph?" Katarra asked, noticing the forlorn look on her friend's face. "Are you all right?"

Toph sat her cup on the table and stood up. "I should get ready for work" she said. "Police department doesn't run itself you know" she stepped a crossed the room and into the bed room.

Katara stood in the door way watching Toph getting ready to go on duty. "Toph" Katara repeated. "I heard what happened at the station" she said.

"Sokka told you about that, did he?" Toph said as she pinned her hair back.

"He's my brother and you did, well, throw up all over his table in the middle of a meeting with the Republic Council"

"Sorry about that. I'll pay for his suit if it needs to be cleaned" Toph sat her feet firmly on the floor and waved her hand. The metal boot drifted a crossed the floor and wrapped its metal bands around her foot and shin.

"It's not the suit he's worry about. It's the chief of police"

There was a dull thud as the second metal boot fell to the floor half way between the rack and Toph's bare foot.

Katara walked over to Toph and put a hand on her shoulder. "Sokka says you have been checking in late, that you missed meetings with some of your officers"

"So I am running a little behind" Toph said then proceeded to put on her remaining boot with her hands rather than her bending. "I am still the chief of police, I never let someone else pick up my slack"

"I never said you did"

"If you or, Sokka, think I can't handle this anymore then, then-"

"Toph, I am not here to complain and no one is saying your slacking off. But we can tell when a friend is in pain"

Toph made a small sound that was not quite audible.

Katara faced her friend and was almost shocked to see tears welling up in the earthbender's eyes. "I know you and, Kanto-"

"Kanto!" Toph pushed Katara aside with a sudden force and pushed past her, the metal boots making loud thumping noises on the floor. She stopped as suddenly as she started and Katara could feel the entire apartment, perhaps the entire building, shake for a moment. "If I ever hear his voice again it will be too soon!" she roared. "If he wants to jump on a ship and play sea-captain he can go right ahead. He just better not come back through my doorway. I swear Katara, if I meet him again I am going to break every bone in his worthless body!"

Katara starred at Toph hearing the righteous fury in her voice. She forced herself to smile. "So I guess you are over him, then?"

"As over him as a person can be! I want nothing to do with that good for nothing piece of human trash!"

"Okay then, but if that is not bothering you, what is?"

Toph sniffed. Slowly, she sank onto the bed and sat there, sobbing.

Katara sat down beside her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Toph" she whispered. "I am here for you, whatever it is, I am here"

Sobbing, Toph held out her hand. Katara took it but then Toph lifted her shirt with her other hand and placed Katara's palm against her bare belly.

"What is it?" Katara asked.

"Can't you feel it?" Toph sobbed quietly. "Can't you tell? You are the water healer"

Katara closed her eyes. In recent years she had explored her bending powers. She could blood bend with the help of a full moon, it was something that had frightened her at first but she had since learned to use it for healing. She had learned to feel water like how Toph could feel earth, though not quite in the same way. Water did not vibrate but Katara could feel it ebb and flow inside a person's body, these coincided with the pools of energy known as chakras. She could feel the energy flowing through and around Toph. Feeling the blood following in and out of her heart, feel the juice in her stomach quietly churning and even the tears trickling down her cheeks. She could feel a small swirl deep within Toph's belly where energy and fluids were gathering. Katara blinked, she realized what it was as she had felt it before, three times before as a matter of fact. "Oh Toph" she said then put her arm around her. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know!" Toph exclaimed waving her arms almost like she was pleading with someone. She stood up and began pacing around the room in a frantic manner. Her boots clanking loudly with each anxious step. "I don't know!" she repeated. "Katara, I don't know how to be a mother!" she stood there, whipping the tears from her eyes that were coming with growing force.

Katara stood up and put her arms around Toph. "Toph" she said. "I am going to tell you a secret" she said and allowed herself to smile. "When Bumi was born I did not know how to be a mother" she said. "And when I was born, my mother didn't know how to be one" she leaned close and half whispered in Toph's ear. "And when you were born, I'd bet a mountain of gold that your mother didn't know how to be one either"

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"The point is, Toph, motherhood is something you have to learn. And I promise you, you can do it because every mother has had to learn as she went. Every mother that has ever been has went through the same things and I am certain you will get through it. Just like your mother, and my mother and you know why?"

Toph did not answer.

"Because I will be right here with you, whatever happens, I will be right here"

"Thank you, Katara" Toph's voice was so choked up that she could hardly speak. She put her arms around Katara and rested her head against her shoulder. "Thank you"


End file.
